Two defendants in a Dec. 7 kidnapping and robbery case on County Road G have been bound over to 22nd Judicial District Court.
Towaoc residents Clint Laner, 28, and Keshaun Begay, 20, waived their right to preliminary hearings Wednesday to consider plea deals with the district attorney.
Montezuma County Judge JenniLynn Lawrence changed Begay’s bond from $75,000 cash or surety to a $75,000 personal recognizance bond, allowing him to bond out of jail on the promise that he will appear in court for his next hearing. Laner’s bond is unchanged. District Court Judge Todd Plewe will take over their cases.
Laner faces charges of second-degree kidnapping and robbery, a Class 2 felony, aggravated robbery, at Class 3 felony, driving under the influence and resisting arrest. He also has three other pending cases in Montezuma County court, with three jury trials scheduled to begin April 11. He has a long criminal history dating to at least 2012.
Laner’s public defender stated he could consider a three-year sentence with the Colorado Department of Corrections.
Begay faces charges of aggravated robbery, a Class 3 felony, and possession of drug paraphernalia. District Attorney Will Furse said he has offered Begay an agreement to plead guilty to menacing, a lesser felony. The agreement stipulates 24 months probation and would require the young man to complete his GED or high school diploma.
According to a Montezuma County Sheriff’s Office incident report, Begay and Laner picked up a hitchhiker near Shiprock on Dec. 7.
The hitchhiker later told officers she thought Laner and Begay would take her home, off U.S. Highway 491 in New Mexico. Once the vehicle passed the Colorado border, however, she became concerned. According to the incident report, she said Laner threatened to kill her with a knife and bury her. She used her phone to call 911, then Begay allegedly broke the phone.
A female passenger in the vehicle, who Laner said is his wife, reportedly tried to persuade Laner to let the hitchhiker go as Laner drove down County Road G. During a struggle with Laner and Begay, the hitchhiker “fell from the vehicle,” the report said, and could not recover her backpack and purse.
When an MCSO sergeant arrived on scene, the car was parked in the westbound lane of travel on County Road G. He told the driver to remove the keys and throw them out the window. Laner responded that his wife had already taken the keys out of the ignition. Begay was passed out in the back seat at the time of his arrest.
sdolan@the-journal.com
